May's (Mostly) Marvelous Literary Musings

[Aleksei]

Viewpoints Critical, by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

 

[Connavar]

Continuing the alliteration Teresa I see! Good stuff.

Took a break from the Three Musketeers Series and made a start on The Conspirators - also by Alexandre Dumas Pere.
Haven't read any Sf/F in a while so ordering in the Dragonbone Chair &c.

How are those two Dumas works ?

How do they compare to Monte Cristo ? I have read only it of him and its one of my favorit books of alltime.

 

[Hilarious Joke]

I'm reading:
Dizzy! The Jason Gillespie Story (as told to Laurie Colliver)
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen Donaldson
Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
Odalisque by Fiona McIntosh
U2 by U2
Wolfblade by Jennifer Fallon
Magician's Gambit by David Eddings
Darkness at Sethanon by Raymond E Feist
The Conviction of the Innocent by Chester Porter
The Gift by Alison Croggon
The Pythons by the Pythons
The Hours by Michael Cunningham

I've never read so many books at once, but I love it - variety is the spice of life.

 

[sci-fi girl]

I'm reading "Tiger burning bright" by Andre Norton, Mercedes Lackey and Marion Zimmer Bradley.

 

[murphy]

I'm rereading the Sacred Hunt duology in preparation for starting the Hidden City. I'm enjoying the story so much, I may have to continue with a reread of all 6 Sunsword books .

I know what you mean. I just had to replace my two copies of the Hunt duology. They were all worn out.

just got Name of the Wind (Rothfuss) from the library, along with Feast of Souls by Celia Friedman. anyone got opinions on that latter one?

I liked it, but then I like Friedman. However, I did like Name of the Wind much better.

Now doing a reread of Emma Bull's War for the Oaks for a book club.

 

[woodsman]

How are those two Dumas works ?

How do they compare to Monte Cristo ? I have read only it of him and its one of my favorit books of alltime.

Well, The Three Musketeers is my favourite book, although I couldn't put my finger on why. It's got more humour than Monte Cristo, intertwined with the dueling and general intrigue. Dumas has a great, fairly fast paced style and if you liked Monte Cristo I'm sure you'll like this.
I haven't read a great deal of The Conspirators yet but it's similar stuff - intrigue, fighting, love etc. Give them a try Conn and Musketeers, at least, is generally easy to get hold of. Hope you enjoy it anyways. Most of his other works are easier to get second hand as I haven't seen that many new reprints etc, of a lot of them. If you can; enjoy 'em.

 

[Simian]

Just finished Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb, still not sure if I will buy the next book in the series. I enjoy Hobb's writing, but much like the Farseer trilogy I could cheerfully throttle half of the characters involved. Currently reading Last Argument of Kings, which thus far has been every bit as good as the preceding two books. After that I've got a choice of The Briar King by Greg Keyes or The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon.

 

[purple_kathryn]

Started the Reality Dysfunction by Peter F Hamilton

I think it might be my joyus June book as well

 

[Connavar]

Im still going through my complete collection of REH's Conan.

A great short story after another. I havent had as much fun reading any book/collection as i have right now with these stories. REH blend of beautiful prose,action and hardcore main character is too good.

If it wasnt so huge and heavy collection i would read 24/7. I have to break from it now since i cant read on the bus to town.

 

[Nikitta]

I've just read The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse and the sequel, The Toyminator, (Robert Rankin) and I've now started in on Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said (Philip K. Dick).

 

[AvoidingReality]

I've just finished The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss which is a pity, because the next one isn't out for a year and I really want to know what happens! But it really was a brilliant book and I read it entirely too quickly.

I'm now starting Exile's Return by Kate Jacoby and I'm not entirely sure what I think of it. It seemed pretty average, but it might be picking up a bit now, as I get further into it.

 

[kcs_hiker]

starting a new author (for me) and a new series; The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva

also, a kind author's wife sent me a copy of: Electronic Echoes of the Mind by Wade Kimberlin; thanks a bunch to BookStop

also continuing the Three Californias trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson; going to reread On the Beach by Nevil Shute (it's been too many years since I've read it); and finally breaking down and opening up Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake.

 

[hammerhead]

That's a difficult judgment call, really. If you're a fan of Tolkien, and like his "high" tone in the latter part of LotR, then the style is likely to appeal. However, these are unfinished tales, so there's no actual resolution to the majority of them; they aren't "typical" reads. But they do include some of his best writing here and there, and are fascinating in their own way, allowing a very intense look into the development of Middle-earth and the thought of the man behind it....

thanks j.d. and you are so correct
I mainly got them for my personal liberary and for my son. who now is tackling the hobbit, he loved neil hancocks books so i figured why not steer him to the man who i feel greatly influenced hancocks circle of light and windamir books.
they are a tough read atleast for me
enjoy your travels through the worlds of wonder

 

[Nesacat]

Finished over the weekend:

The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami.
... When a man's favourite elephant vanishes, the balance of his whole life is subtly upset; a couple's midnight hunger pangs drive them to hold up a McDonald's; a woman finds that she is irresistible to a small green monster that burrows through her front garden; an insomniac wife wakes up to a twilight world of semi-consciousness in which anything seems possible - even death.

I read the book in one sitting. It was not possible to do otherwise. Every single story takes something very mundane and normal and twists it round and turns it inside out. They bring out the surreal is everyday events.

The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury (a re-read)
... At sunset the pictures which decorate the body of the Illustrated Man come to life, and each proceeds to tell its own story. 'The Veld' is a chilling tale of children taking a game of virtual reality too far; the heartbreaking 'Kaleidoscope' tells of stranded astronauts about to re-enter our atmosphere - without the benefit of a spaceship; while in 'Zero Hour' invading aliens have found a most logical ally - our own children. The Illustrated Man has tried everything to get rid of the images; sandpaper, acid, a knife. For he has reason to know that they are not merely stories; they tell the future.

 

[DeepThought]

Recently finished Last Argument of Kings plus The First Book of Lankhmar, excellent reads both. Now reading a few things in parallell; Steven Erikson's Bonehunters (re-read), The first volume of Glen Cook's Black Company series. Also just started the Novella Blood Follows by Erikson...this guy is God's gift to fantasy...

Cheers, DeepThought

 

[j d worthington]

Finished Space War Blues -- a mixed reaction. There are parts of this novel that are absolutely brilliant, some things that are exquisitely written; and then there are passages that are rather mundane in tone and incident, though written in a very unconventional style. Still, an interesting read, and one I'll probably go back to again at some point; I just wish it had been a bit stronger overall....

Have now started Andrew Laing's The Haunted Omnibus; for those interested in TOC:

The Haunted omnibus [WorldCat.org]

 

[ben1xy]

Don't worry it is.

you're right Gollum, Her second series is heaps better

 

[Pyan]

Oh dear...picked up E.E."Doc" Smith's Triplanetary to remind myself of something, and started reading a bit at the beginning...went straight though it, and First Lensman, and am now well into Galactic Patrol...

 

[murphy]

Now reading Joe Abercrombie's The Last Arguement of Kings. Very satisfied with it so far.

 

[DeepThought]

Now reading Joe Abercrombie's The Last Arguement of Kings. Very satisfied with it so far.

Good to hear your enjoying it murphy. LAOK is better than previous two combined! He certainly can write great EPIC fantasy (and this is only his first attempt ). Now I can rank him comfortably amongst the other greats; GRRM, Erikson, Bakker et al.

Cheers, DeepThought